Water pump assembly

ABSTRACT

A water pump assembly includes a lower housing configured for being positioned within a well. The lower housing includes a bladder therein. The bladder expands to force water within the housing into an outlet of a valve apparatus and the bladder contracts to draw water into the housing. A cylinder and piston fluidly coupled to an inlet of the valve apparatus and the inlet is fluidly coupled to the bladder. A one way valve is positioned within the valve apparatus and fluidly connects an inlet chamber including the inlet to an outlet chamber including the outlet. The one way valve allows water to flow from the outlet chamber into the inlet chamber and restricts water from flowing from the inlet chamber into the outlet chamber. An outlet conduit is fluidly coupled to the outlet of the valve apparatus to carry the water where desired.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of the provisional application62/337,114 filed May 16, 2016.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR ASA TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention (2) Descriptionof Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and1.98

The disclosure and prior art relates to pump devices and moreparticularly pertains to a new pump device for drawing fluidsefficiently out of a wall while preventing contaminants from enteringthe well.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above bygenerally comprising a lower housing configured for being positionedwithin a well. The lower housing includes a bladder therein. The bladderexpands to force water within the housing into an outlet of a valveapparatus and the bladder contracts to draw water into the housing. Acylinder and piston fluidly coupled to an inlet of the valve apparatusand the inlet is fluidly coupled to the bladder. A one way valve ispositioned within the valve apparatus and fluidly connects an inletchamber including the inlet to an outlet chamber including the outlet.The one way valve allows water to flow from the outlet chamber into theinlet chamber and restricts water from flowing from the inlet chamberinto the outlet chamber. An outlet conduit is fluidly coupled to theoutlet of the valve apparatus to carry the water where desired.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more importantfeatures of the disclosure in order that the detailed descriptionthereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that thepresent contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There areadditional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafterand which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features ofnovelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out withparticularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of thisdisclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than thoseset forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to thefollowing detailed description thereof. Such description makes referenceto the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a water pump assembly according to anembodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a top view of a plate of a one way valve of an embodiment ofthe disclosure.

FIG. 3 is cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 of anembodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a top perspective of an embodiment of the disclosure of avalve apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of an embodiment of the disclosure of a valveapparatus of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is cross-sectional view taken along 6-6 of FIG. 5 of anembodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a lower housing of an embodiment ofthe disclosure of a valve apparatus.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of area “8” of FIG. 7 of an embodiment of thedisclosure of a valve apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the valve apparatus takenperpendicular to FIG. 8 and through ball valve 50 of an embodiment ofthe disclosure.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of area “10” of FIG. 7 of an embodiment ofthe disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a side view of an actuator of an embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 12 is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure of a valveapparatus.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 13-13 of FIG. 12 ofan embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 14 is a top perspective of an embodiment of the disclosure of anupper housing.

FIG. 15 is side view of the upper housing of an embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 16 is a front perspective view of a first plate of an embodiment ofthe disclosure.

FIG. 17 is a rear view of the first plate of an embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 18 is a front perspective view of a second plate of an embodimentof the disclosure.

FIG. 19 is rear view of the second plate of an embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 20 is a cross-section showing an outlet fitting of an embodiment ofthe disclosure.

FIG. 21 is a cross-section showing the actuator and a piston rod of anembodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 22 is a broken cross-section of a cylinder of an embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 23 is a top perspective of a cage of an embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 24 is a top view of the cage of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 25 is a side view of the cage of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through25 thereof, a new pump device embodying the principles and concepts ofan embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by thereference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 25, the water pump assembly 10generally comprises a lower housing 12 that is positionable into a welland which includes an upper end 13, a lower end 14 and a perimeter wall15 extending between the upper 13 and lower 14 ends. The lower end 14includes a one way valve 16 for allowing water (or other fluid andhereafter fluid is being used to designate any fluid and in particularany liquid being moved with the assembly 10) into the lower housing 12but restricting water from leaving through the lower end 14. As can beseen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 10, the one way valve 16 includes a plate 17 witha plurality of apertures 18 extending therethrough on top of which agasket 19 is mounted so that as a vacuum is formed within the lowerhousing 12, the edge of the gasket 19 lifts to allow water or otherfluid to enter the lower housing 12 through the apertures 18 and aroundthe flexible gasket 19. However, not shown, a pump may be attached tothe plate 17 without the gasket and used for powered movement of fluidsinto the lower housing 12.

Within the lower housing 12 is a bladder 20 attached to the upper endwhich is filled and emptied during the operation of the assembly 10. Asthe bladder 20 is filed it moves toward the lower end 14 to drive fluidwithin the lower housing 12 outwardly of the upper end 13. As thebladder 20 retracts away from the lower end 14, a vacuum is createdwithin the lower housing 12 to pull fluid through the one way valve 16.The bladder 20 comprises a structure which restricts stretching in anydirection but longitudinally from the upper end 13 to the lower end 14of the lower housing 12.

A valve apparatus 22 shown in FIGS. 4-6, 8 and 9 and is attached to theupper end 13 of the lower housing and is in fluid communication with thelower housing 12 and bladder 20. The valve apparatus 22 includes aninlet 23 fluidly coupled to the bladder 20 and an outlet 24 forreceiving a fluid from the lower housing 12. The valve apparatus 22includes an inlet chamber 25 fluidly coupled to the inlet 23 and anoutlet chamber 26 fluidly coupled to the outlet 24. The inlet chamber 25is in fluid communication with a cylinder 27 and piston 28 (shown inFIG. 6) for forcing fluid downwardly into the bladder 20 as well aspulling fluid outwardly of the bladder 20. As can be seen in FIG. 8, theinlet chamber 25 is fluidly coupled to a connector 29 which in turn isfluidly coupled to a supply line 30 at the bottom of the cylinder 27which includes a threaded male connector as shown in FIG. 12 forattachment to the supply line 30. The supply line 30 is in fluidcommunication with the cylinder 27 such that fluid is forced into thesupply line 30 when the piston 28 is moved downwardly and then the fluidis then moved into the bladder 20 to expand the bladder 20 and drivewater into the outlet 24. When the piston 28 is moved upwardly a vacuumis created within the cylinder 27 to draw the fluid outwardly of thesupply line 30 and the bladder 20 to retract the bladder 20.

The cylinder 27 is mounted to a plate 31, or plates 31, 32 and coveredwith an upper housing 33. The upper housing 33 includes an actuator 34mounted thereto which is attached a piston rod 35 of the piston 28. Theactuator 34 may include conventional handle 36 as shown in FIG. 1 whichis pivotally coupled to the upper housing 33. However, FIG. 13 showsattachment points 37 for the actuator 34 so that the actuator 34 may becoupled to a motor or windmill to drive the piston 28. Moreover, itshould be understood that the upper housing 33 and the componentsdirectly attached thereto may be positioned up to several hundred feetfrom the valve apparatus 22 and lower housing 12 and may not bepositioned directly over the lower housing 12 as shown in FIG. 1. FIGS.16-20 show that plates 31 and 32 may be used so that the upper housing33 may be removed along with plate 32 while leaving the cylinder 27 inplace.

As can be seen in FIG. 8, a lumen 40 is formed between and fluidlycouples the inlet chamber 25 and outlet chamber 26. The lumen 40 isangled upwardly from the outlet chamber 26 to the inlet chamber 25 andincludes a one way valve 41, which may be formed by a ball, to preventflow of fluid from the inlet chamber 25 to the outlet chamber 26. Whenfluid pressure increases within the lower housing 12, the fluid isdriven upwardly into the outlet chamber 26 and a small amount of thefluid in the outlet chamber 26 is pushed through the lumen 40 and intothe supply line 30 where it can be used for filling the cylinder 27,supply line 30 and bladder 20 in a process of “priming” the assembly 10.

As can be seen in FIG. 22, which is a detail of a cross-section of aportion of the cylinder 27, the cylinder 27 has an inner surface with adepression 42 therein which may have a depth of less than 0.02 inchesand height of less than 1.0 inches, though the height is greater than aseal formed between the piston 28 and the cylinder 27. The width of thisdepression is typically less than 0.1 inches. Since the depression 42has a height greater than the seal between the piston 28 and cylinder27, when the piston 28 travels downwardly to drive fluid into the supplyline 30 and cylinder 27, fluid moves between the piston 28 and thecylinder 27 via the depression 42. This fluid forms a pool on top of thepiston 27 to retain pressure within the system and, importantly,prevents contaminated fluid and debris from moving around the piston 28and back down into the well. The one way valve 41 further preventscontaminated fluid from entering the lower housing 12. Thus, the piston28, cylinder 27 and supply line 30 are effectively sealed off from theoutlet chamber 26.

As can be seen in FIG. 8, the outlet chamber 26 includes a ball valve 50which prevents fluid from moving back into the lower housing 12.Additionally, when the piston 28 is creating a vacuum in the cylinder27, any fluid positioned within the outlet chamber 26 between the ballvalve 50 and an exit opening 51 will be drawn through the lumen 40 ifthere is sufficient negative pressure within the inlet chamber 25. Acage 52, shown in FIG. 9 is placed within the outlet chamber 26 toprevent the ball valve 50 from closing the exit opening 51.

An outlet fitting 53 is fluidly coupled to the exit opening 51 and anoutlet conduit 54 coupled to the outlet fitting 53. The outlet conduit54 may be directed where needed to deliver the fluid, though it may befluidly coupled to a spigot 56 mounted on the upper housing 33. As canbeen seen in FIGS. 13 and 20, the outlet conduit 54 would be connectedto an outlet fitting 55 which would remain with the plate 31 shouldplate 32 and upper housing 33 be removed. As fluid is forced outwardlyof the lower housing 12 by the bladder 20 expanding, it moves throughthe outlet chamber 26, around the ball valve 50, into the outlet conduit54 and finally outwardly of the spigot 56.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized thatthe optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodimentenabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials,shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, aredeemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and allequivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings anddescribed in the specification are intended to be encompassed by anembodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operationshown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of thedisclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used inits non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word areincluded, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. Areference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not excludethe possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless thecontext clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.

I claim:
 1. A pump assembly comprising: a lower housing configured forbeing positioned within a well, said lower housing including a bladdertherein, said bladder expanding to force water within said housing intoan outlet of a valve apparatus, said bladder contracting to draw waterinto said housing; a cylinder and piston being fluidly coupled to aninlet of said valve apparatus, said inlet being fluidly coupled to saidbladder; a one way valve being positioned within said valve apparatusand fluidly connecting an inlet chamber including said inlet and anoutlet chamber including said outlet, said one way valve allowing waterto flow from said outlet chamber into said inlet chamber and restrictingwater from flowing from said inlet chamber into said outlet chamber; andan outlet conduit being fluidly coupled to said outlet of said valveapparatus.
 2. A pump assembly comprising: a lower housing configured tobe positioned into a well, said lower housing having an upper end, alower end and a perimeter wall extending between said upper and lowerends; a one way valve being positioned in said lower housing adjacent tosaid lower end and being configured for allowing a fluid into said lowerhousing and restricting fluid from leaving said lower housing throughsaid lower end; a bladder being positioned within said lower housing andbeing attached to said upper end, said bladder being fillable andemptied with fluid wherein said bladder expanding toward said lower endwhen filled to drive fluid within said lower housing outwardly of saidupper end, said bladder forming a vacuum within said lower housing whensaid bladder is emptied and retracted to pull fluid through said one wayvalve; a valve apparatus being attached to said upper end of said lowerhousing and being in fluid communication with said lower housing andsaid bladder, said valve apparatus including an inlet fluidly coupled tosaid bladder and an outlet for receiving a fluid from said lowerhousing, said valve apparatus including an inlet chamber fluidly coupledto said inlet and an outlet chamber fluidly coupled to said outlet, saidinlet chamber being in fluid communication with a cylinder and a pistonmounted in said cylinder, said piston being actuated in a first directto force fluid downwardly into said bladder and in a second direction topulling fluid outwardly of said bladder, a connector being fluidlycoupled to said inlet chamber, a supply line fluidly coupled to saidcylinder being fluidly coupled to said connector, wherein said bladderis expanded when said piston moves downwardly and said bladder isretracted when said piston is moved upwardly; said inlet chamber saidoutlet chamber being fluidly in communication with each other by alumen, said lumen being angled upwardly from said outlet chamber to saidinlet chamber, a one way valve being positioned in said lumen topreventing flow of fluid from said inlet chamber to said outlet chamber,wherein said lumen is configure to allow fluid to be driven from theoutlet chamber and into said inlet chamber such that said cylinder isfilled with the fluid; and an exit opening being in fluid communicationwith said outlet chamber to allow fluid to flow outwardly of said valveassembly.
 3. The pump assembly according to claim 2, said one way valvepositioned adjacent to said lower end including a plate having aplurality of apertures extending therethrough, a gasket being flexibleand being positioned on top of said plate such that a vacuum is formedwithin said lower housing, an edge of said gasket being liftable toallow fluid to enter said lower housing through said apertures andaround said gasket.
 4. The pump assembly according to claim 2, furtherincluding: an upper housing receiving at least a portion of saidcylinder; an actuator being mounted on said upper housing; and a pistonrod being mechanically coupled to said actuator and to said piston. 5.The pump assembly according to claim 2, wherein said cylinder has aninner surface having a depression therein, said depression having aheight being less than a height of a seal formed between said piston andsaid cylinder, said depression being configured to allow fluid to movebetween said piston and said cylinder such that the fluid forms a poolon top of said piston.
 6. The pump assembly according to claim 5,wherein said depression has a depth of less than 0.02 inches, a heightof less than 1.0 inches and a width less than 0.1 inches.
 7. The pumpassembly according to claim 2, further including a ball valve beingpositioned in said outlet chamber and preventing fluid from moving backinto said lower housing from said outlet chamber.
 8. The pump assemblyaccording to claim 7, wherein said ball valve includes a ball and a cageholding said ball, said cage preventing said ball from closing said exitopening.
 9. A pump assembly comprising: a lower housing configured to bepositioned into a well, said lower housing having an upper end, a lowerend and a perimeter wall extending between said upper and lower ends; aone way valve being positioned in said lower housing adjacent to saidlower end and being configured for allowing a fluid into said lowerhousing and restricting fluid from leaving said lower housing throughsaid lower end, said one way valve including a plate having a pluralityof apertures extending therethrough, a gasket being flexible and beingpositioned on top of said plate such that a vacuum is formed within saidlower housing, an edge of said gasket being liftable to allow fluid toenter said lower housing through said apertures and around said gasket;a bladder being positioned within said lower housing and being attachedto said upper end, said bladder being fillable and emptied with fluidwherein said bladder expanding toward said lower end when filled todrive fluid within said lower housing outwardly of said upper end, saidbladder forming a vacuum within said lower housing when said bladder isemptied and retracted to pull fluid through said one way valve; a valveapparatus being attached to said upper end of said lower housing andbeing in fluid communication with said lower housing and said bladder,said valve apparatus including an inlet fluidly coupled to said bladderand an outlet for receiving a fluid from said lower housing, said valveapparatus including an inlet chamber fluidly coupled to said inlet andan outlet chamber fluidly coupled to said outlet, said inlet chamber 25being in fluid communication with a cylinder and a piston mounted insaid cylinder, said piston being actuated in a first direct to forcefluid downwardly into said bladder and in a second direction to pullingfluid outwardly of said bladder, a connector being fluidly coupled tosaid inlet chamber, a supply line fluidly coupled to said cylinder beingfluidly coupled to said connector, wherein said bladder is expanded whensaid piston moves downwardly and said bladder is retracted when saidpiston is moved upwardly; an upper housing receiving at least a portionof said cylinder; an actuator being mounted on said upper housing; apiston rod being mechanically coupled to said actuator and to saidpiston; said inlet chamber said outlet chamber being fluidly incommunication with each other by a lumen, said lumen being angledupwardly from said outlet chamber to said inlet chamber, a one way valvebeing positioned in said lumen to preventing flow of fluid from saidinlet chamber to said outlet chamber, wherein said lumen is configure toallow fluid to be driven from the outlet chamber and into said inletchamber such that said cylinder is filled with the fluid; said cylinderhaving an inner surface having a depression therein, said depressionhaving a height being less than a height of a seal formed between saidpiston and said cylinder, said depression being configured to allowfluid to move between said piston and said cylinder such that the fluidforms a pool on top of said piston, said depression having a depth ofless than 0.02 inches, a height of less than 1.0 inches and a width lessthan 0.1 inches; an exit opening being in fluid communication with saidoutlet chamber to allow fluid to flow outwardly of said valve assembly;a ball valve being positioned in said outlet chamber and preventingfluid from moving back into said lower housing from said outlet chamber,said ball valve include a ball and a cage holding said ball, said cagepreventing said ball from closing said exit opening; an outlet fittingbeing fluidly coupled to said exit opening and an outlet conduit beingcoupled to said outlet fitting; wherein the fluid is forced outwardly ofsaid lower housing by said bladder expanding such that fluid movesthrough said outlet chamber, around said ball valve and into said outletconduit.